In recent years, laboratories, clean rooms, processing and other types of rooms have had to serve an increasing number of functions. Consequently, the shelving systems used in such environments have had to provide adaptability to address changing needs. Besides laboratories and the like however, improved shelving has also become necessary in other situations such as storage warehouses, food processing rooms and other various locations and applications.
For example, the increased role of computers, computer networks, instrumentation, test apparatus, control systems and other equipment in current research and development indicates that laboratory shelving systems should properly and efficiently accommodate such equipment. For example, it is desirable that shelving systems protect such equipment against damage from chemical spills, accidents such as earthquakes or other damaging situations.
However, existing shelving systems are typically not designed to protect equipment such as computers and other delicate equipment. For example, a chemical spill in many existing laboratories would not be well contained and thus damage delicate instruments. Furthermore, earthquakes and other vibrations may cause computers or other equipment to fall off shelves. Accordingly, a need has arisen for a shelving system which provides structural integrity and protection for computers and other delicate instruments against various threats of damage.
Use of computers and other equipment has also increased the need for services such as electrical wiring, networking and data/voice transmission and the distribution of physical items such as air, water, propane, hydrogen, nitrogen or a vacuum. However, it is desirable that such services be distributed in the room in a manner which avoids interfering with the work being performed, and that the services be protected against damage. Furthermore, it is desirable for services to be installed without having to rip up floors and make holes in walls and ceilings. Still further, it is desirable that any electricity or other services be distributed safely and in conformance with UL or other safety approvals.
However, wiring and other service lines in many laboratory and non-laboratory environments are typically exposed along a ceiling, wall or post thereby rendering them susceptible to damage. Other times, such service lines may be strewn about the floor behind cabinets or in a walkway where someone can trip over them thereby risking injury, breaking equipment or disrupting delicate research. And while certain existing systems attempt to cover or hide electrical wiring and the like, such covers typically serve only aesthetic purposes and do not provide real protection.
Worse yet, incompatible services such as electricity and water may be distributed adjacent to each other without adequate safeguards thereby risking electrical shorts or other accidents. And in current situations, floors, walls and ceilings must often be altered or otherwise disrupted to install the services in the first place. Accordingly, a need has also arisen for a shelving system which efficiently provides electricity, networking, data/voice transmission and various other services without the risk of injury, damage or disruption to the surrounding walls or other part of a building.
Current laboratories, warehouses and other locations with shelving must often be reconfigured to address different applications such as new types of research projects or different storage requirements. This typically requires that shelving and cabinetry in the laboratory be moved, supplemented, removed, or otherwise altered. However, existing shelving systems and cabinets have typically been fixed to floors, walls or ceilings thereby preventing easy reconfiguration to accommodate new applications. Furthermore, cabinets and shelves attached to such shelving systems are typically fixedly attached thereto and must thus be torn out to be moved. While various modular office partition systems exist, these are typically designed to provide individual workspaces in an office setting and not suitable for laboratory or other such uses.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for shelving systems which are modular and which may be easily installed, removed or reconfigured to accommodate changing laboratory or other requirements. This need also extends to the situation where the shelving system is intended to be removable where, for example, a laboratory or storage room is intended to be temporary.
Existing shelves typically comprise wood, plastic laminate or some other material. These shelving materials typically do not resist chemical spills, nor are easily formed into shapes suitable for containing spilled liquids or for containing instruments resting of the shelf. These shelf materials also have limited strength and thus limit the maximum span of a given shelf. Consequently, as users require more shelf space, they typically cannot use wider shelves, but instead must add more framework and supports which adds material cost, adds installation time and cost, and reduces flexibility. These existing shelves also typically require screws or other invasive fastening means to secure the shelf to the shelving systems or wall. This again increases cost and installation time, and hinders reconfiguration.
Accordingly, there is also a need for spill-resistant shelves of greater strength, which do not require screws or other types of permanent or invasive fasteners. A need also exists for shelves which can be designed and easily manufactured to contain spilled liquids or to contain instruments resting thereon.
Problems also exist regarding the strength and adaptability of current framework and other support structures. That is, they are generally not sufficiently strong in and of themselves to support the shelves and loads carried thereby. Accordingly, existing framework must typically be attached to walls or some other foundational structure to provide appropriate strength. This may create problems where, for example, the walls of the building transmit vibrations to the shelving system which may disrupt delicate experiments occurring thereon.
This lack of strength is especially problematic where shelving is necessary to form an "island" in the middle of a laboratory, warehouse or other location or when a whole self-standing or self-contained room must be constructed. For example, a self-standing food processing room may need to be constructed near the center of a large food warehouse. Here, it is desirable that the shelving system include framework that can provide the necessary strength to support shelves as well as the walls and ceiling of the self-contained room. While various self-standing modular office partition systems exist, these again are aimed at office settings and are not suitable for laboratories or other similar applications. Thus a need has also arisen for self-supporting and more versatile framework for shelving systems.
Also with respect to current frameworks, they typically may not be easily reconfigured, and are usually attached to some foundational support with many invasive fasteners. Among other issues, such fastening requires increased removal and installation time if the shelving system is to be reconfigured. Thus a need has arisen for shelving framework that may be used for different applications and configurations. A need has also arisen for framework that may be erected with a reduced number of attachments to a wall or other foundational support.
Problems may also arise in maintaining the cleanliness of laboratories, food processing rooms and other "clean" environments due to small or hidden holes, crevices, ledges, openings or other physical features of the shelving system where bacteria may grow or other contamination may occur. Furthermore, in current framework systems, services such as electrical wiring are topically not well protected against high-pressure water, or steam cleaning and other similar cleaning operations. Thus a need has arisen for a shelving system which reduces or avoids such physical features to facilitate maintenance of cleanliness standards, and which adequately protects services.
Beyond the foregoing problems and issues described above, current shelving systems and components thereof have other shortcomings. Accordingly, described below are improved shelving systems and associated components which addresses these problems and shortcomings.